From the Acts of the Apostles Chapter Eight- Philip and the Ethiopian
26 Now an angel of the Lord said to Philip, “Go south to the road—the desert road—that goes down from Jerusalem to Gaza.” 27 So he started out, and on his way he met an Ethiopian eunuch, an important official in charge of all the treasury of the Kandake (which means “queen of the Ethiopians”). This man had gone to Jerusalem to worship, 28 and on his way home was sitting in his chariot reading the Book of Isaiah the prophet. 29 The Spirit told Philip, “Go to that chariot and stay near it.” 30 Then Philip ran up to the chariot and heard the man reading Isaiah the prophet. “Do you understand what you are reading?” Philip asked. 31 “How can I,” he said, “unless someone explains it to me?” So, he invited Philip to come up and sit with him. 32 This is the passage of Scripture the eunuch was reading: “He was led like a sheep to the slaughter,
and as a lamb before its shearer is silent,
so he did not open his mouth. 33 In his humiliation he was deprived of justice.
Who can speak of his descendants?
For his life was taken from the earth.”[b] 34 The eunuch asked Philip, “Tell me, please, who is the prophet talking about, himself or someone else?” 35 Then Philip began with that very passage of Scripture and told him the good news about Jesus. 36 As they travelled along the road, they came to some water and the eunuch said, “Look, here is water. What can stand in the way of my being baptized?” [37] [c] 38 And he gave orders to stop the chariot. Then both Philip and the eunuch went down into the water and Philip baptized him. 39 When they came up out of the water, the Spirit of the Lord suddenly took Philip away, and the eunuch did not see him again, but went on his way rejoicing.
Read through the passage. Is there anything that strikes you about it? Do you see a ‘process’ or a ‘progression’?
Symbol and Sacrament
What do we understand by these two words? With what sacraments are we familiar?
We have the Card for the Liturgy of Baptism. Read through it.
What do the words and signs mean in baptism?
Eucharist
From Mark’s Gospel, Chapter 14
22 While they were eating, Jesus took bread, and when he had given thanks, he broke it and gave it to his disciples, saying, “Take it; this is my body.” 23 Then he took a cup, and when he had given thanks, he gave it to them, and they all drank from it. 24 “This is my blood of the covenant, which is poured out for many,” he said to them. 25 “Truly I tell you, I will not drink again from the fruit of the vine until that day when I drink it new in the kingdom of God.”
Imaginative Prayer
Imagine you are in the upper room.
You are there celebrating the most important event in the history of your people – the Exodus – the freedom from slavery.
You are with your friends and your leader, Jesus.
Jesus takes the bread and hands it to you, “This is my body.”
Jesus gives you the cup, “This is my blood.”
How do you feel? What are you thinking? How are the others reacting? What does this mean?
For yourself
Think about how and where you meet God.
How do I respond to God’s offer of new life?